Category Archive

Pharmacists always get my vote, but are we underusing this group of highly trained ­specialists? Could they serve as early diagnosis hubs to spot signs of cancer and improve cancer survival rates? A report by University College London says they … Read More

Back when I was an aspiring medical student, I was asked what was the most important thing I could give a patient. “Care and kindness”, I said. My reply wasn’t greeted with enthusiasm. Didn’t I think the latest high-tech treatments … Read More

There’s a new trend emerging in medicine as we live longer. The pattern of health and disease is changing and that’s causing headaches for doctors and carers. The number of patients who have two or more medical conditions is rising … Read More

The eye is the window to the soul, as the saying goes. But in medical terms the eye is the window to the body. A doctor using an ophthalmoscope can ­examine the back of the eye, the retina and get … Read More

Each Christmas the BMJ ­publishes what it calls the BMJ Christmas papers. The reports are never that serious, though all are based on meticulous research and they invariably make me smile. The authors are smart, witty and dedicated. I thought … Read More

Atrial fibrillation, once a rarity, is now quite common with approximately 6,000 cases being seen a year in the UK. It can be successfully treated with drugs, however, ablation therapy, ­is now seen as a procedure for patients whose atrial … Read More

There’s not a good thing to say about sugar. The list of the problems it causes gets longer and longer. Now you can add ­inflammation of the bowel to that list. Short-term increases in sugar consumption, such as binges of … Read More

There’s been a long debate about possible side effects of statins – the cholesterol-lowering drugs taken by around eight million UK adults to prevent heart ­attacks and strokes. The latest charge was they damage people’s memory. But now a six-year study of … Read More

The emergence of Extinction Rebellion has meant we’re all becoming familiar with the ­fallout climate change has in store for us. But were you aware that global warming will come to define the health of a whole generation? If the … Read More

 few years ago I was attached to a programme in India which was aimed at curbing childhood obesity. There were many approaches but one of the most successful was helping the mothers of families to cook more healthily. This approach … Read More